Dirty Desire (7 page)

“Got it,” his voice is tired as he yawns and ends the call.

I spend the next two hours mulling over all the paperwork that Kayla has half-hazardly put together since I left. It’s been a month and already my filing and organization system has gone out the window. I’m almost through the pile of shit that’s been left on my desk when my phone buzzes.

HARPER:
Highfives yer gone’

HARPER:
Fucking autoroccest.

HARPER:
BAH!

HARPER:
BEeer.

I stare at my phone as the single word texts come through and all I can do is worry that she’s safe.

And that alone pisses me off.

Deciding to lock the phone screen and flip it over so I can’t see any more of her drunken texts come through, I get back to work trying to forget she’s out, partying, drunk, and I’m not there to help her.

Stop, Knox. You’re not a knight. She’s completely fine without you.

Fifteen minutes later and I don’t think my phone has stopped buzzing. Whatever she’s doing tonight, apparently she can’t get me off her mind. A grin sweeps across my face at the memory of her underneath me. Good lord she’s sexy.

I huff, picking up the phone and glaring at the screen, swipe it to view the forty messages from Harper. What can be this important that she can’t leave me alone? Did John not give her the message that I’m out of town tonight?

HARPER:
Hey

HARPER
: You

HARPER:
DRANK

Jesus she’s beyond remembering this in the morning. I’m a firm believer of no phones when alcohol is being inhaled at the rate it took her to get this plastered.

The texts go on.

HARPER:
I want to dnce with you

HARPER:
Why you no reply???!???,,

The time stamps on the messages are within minutes of each other. Reading through them, it’s not until the final text that I know I need to go home.

Home.

Mother fucker.
It’s not my home. It’s not my place to call it home with what I have to do.

HARPER:
House was unlocked and open. Wht do Do? IN! Go IN!

HARPER:
If I die you can have my blankets. You look good in my blankets. You look good in everything. Sxy.

The spelling tells me she’s either frantically texting or drunk off her ass still, either way she’s too far gone to handle whatever’s happening there on her own and I don’t know who she’s out with.

Why in god’s name did she wait to go out and get completely wasted when I’m out of town? I can’t keep her safe if I’m this far away!

“Kayla, I’m leaving,” I bark into the intercom that leads to her office. I know she’s still here…probably waiting for me to leave so she can pounce on me. Bitch. With my car keys in hand, I’m out the door before she can reply.

If Harper’s in trouble, I’m never going to forgive myself for leaving her alone.

And that feeling right there scares me to the core.

I have two hours or less to get my feelings in check.

With the sun glaring in through the window, the first thing I notice is the smell.

Good god what is that?

“Morning,” His voice radiates through my body, sending heat waves to parts that shouldn’t be awake this early. How can one word from a man I’ve barely known do that to me?

What is that smell?

“Hey,” my voice groggy and smoke ridden. Last night was probably a mistake, but I’m alive and I think it was fun…I don’t remember much, though. Last thing I remember we were hailing a taxi to head across the river to a strip club. After that…nada.

“Glad you’re alive.” He doesn’t sound very amused. My gaze is locked on the ceiling, and as much as I want to look at him and his beautiful features, I’m not. I’m not letting myself fall back into that hole. He’s my roommate. He’s leaving in a little over a month. I can’t get attached.

But Jesus he’s a fantastic lay.

“Me too. Last night was rough.”

“You’re telling me.” He lightly chuckles and I hear movement. Moving my gaze to him, the first thing I notice is that I’m not in my room. What the fuck?

“Where am I?” My eyes hit his and I see the dark circles and yesterday’s five o’clock shadow painting his normally refreshed features.

“John and Leigh’s,” he answers, standing up. I watch him as he walks towards the desk across the room from me. Grabbing a bottle of water, I hear the rattle of the pill bottle and sigh.

At least someone here is looking out for me. I shouldn’t be so relieved that it’s him, though.

I should be able to take care of myself.

“Here.” He shoves the bottle at me. “Drink. Hydrate. And take these.” His outstretched hand drops two ibuprofen in my palm.

“Thank you.” The water goes down smooth. A much needed refreshment in my dry as fuck mouth, but it’s not good enough. My body needs about four or five of these before I’ll feel like myself again.

“Why are you here?” My curiosity gets the best of me.

“A ‘thank you’ would suffice.” He grins at me as he sits back on the chair next to the bed. It’s then that I notice his appearance.

He looks like he’s been through hell.

“What happened to you?” I sit up and see him cock an eyebrow at me, eyeing my chest.

Great.

However I went to bed last night, I must have decided it was easiest to strip off everything.

I sleep like this at home all the damn time. Not at other people’s houses.

“Sorry,” I huff, pulling the covers over my bare skin.

“I’m not complaining.” The heat in his eyes, the same look that I’ve gotten used to seeing, is back. He grins at me and adjusts himself before relaxing in the chair.

“So what are you doing here, Knox?” I’m tired of these games. I’m a big girl. There’s no reason for him to be here watching over me.

“Well, racing home to find a ransacked apartment and no roommate in sight kind of sent me into a tailspin. Once I found you I decided I’d stay near in case your drunken ass needed me. And thank god for that,” he says, nodding towards the floor. “Looks like you’re going to have to pay John for floor cleaning services.

I lean over the side of the bed and groan.

“That’s the smell…” I whine. “Shit.”

“Yeah, tell me about it. What the hell were you doing going out like that without me in town?”

My eyebrows rise at him and I can’t find the words to yell at him for acting like a caveman.

“You know how much trouble you could have gotten into?” He looks at me curiously and I lose it.

“Seriously?! You leave town with no notice, not even a text! You have someone from your work find me and tell me you’re gone. Right after…after…” Fuck me I’m acting like a jealous girlfriend. “You know what. Never mind. I’ve gotta get going.” Tugging the blanket around me, I move to stand too quickly and almost fall in the process.

“Woah there, Harp.” His hands come around my shoulders and there we stand. Face to face. Angry. Hurt. Worried. I see his eyes flick to my lips then back to my eyes. He wants to kiss me…I can see it in the way he’s looking at me.

“Excuse me,” I grunt, pissed that even mad at him I can’t help but feel the sexual pull between us.

I wrap the blanket around my body as modestly as I can and storm to Leigh’s room to find him and John in bed still.

“Wake the fuck up, Leigh.” The door slams open, sending John and Leigh into a fit of sheet pulling and mumbles as they frantically try to hide their bits from me.

“Nothing I haven’t seen before, boys,” I mumble. “Leigh. Clothes. I need them.”

He looks at me with sleep still in his eyes and grins.

“You didn’t last night.” He says, forcing a chuckle from John.

“Not funny,” I huff. “I need to leave.”

“Great.” John mumbles, earning a slug to the arm from Leigh. He looks at me and shakes his head.

“You puked all over them on the cab ride back, Harper. They need to be washed.” His voice groggy and the frown on his face says I’m in more trouble with him than I thought.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, suddenly feeling like a child. “Do you have shorts and a shirt I can wear home, at least? I’ll get a cleaner here as soon as I can to clean up my mess.” He sighs and stands from the bed, walking over to his dresser without trying to cover up anything. John glares at him the entire time and I wonder how much Leigh told him about our past. Leigh’s been gay since day one, but he’s never been modest, and for good reason. The man is ripped. If he weren’t gay I’d have jumped him years ago. That being said, there’ve been plenty of drunken nights he’s disrobed in front of me. It’s impressive, but it’s not what I want.

What I want is standing in the doorway, red faced, watching this exchange.

“Here,” Leigh says, as he hands me a pair of gym shorts and a white t-shirt. “This’ll have to do.”

“Thank you, you’re a life saver.” I hug him, not thinking about the clothes thing, and the blanket falls to the floor.

“Shit,” I mutter, breaking the hug and glancing back at Knox.

Why the hell did I do that? I don’t owe him anything. He’s not my boyfriend. He has no claim to my life. If I want to hug my gay best friend naked, then dammit I’ll hug my gay best friend naked.

“Let’s go,” he says, storming into the room. “John. Thank you. Take the day off, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He grunts as he grabs my arm, giving me no time to process what’s happening. On the way out I stop at the bathroom and toss the clothes at Knox. The taste in my mouth can’t wait. If I have to taste like I upchucked everything from yesterday one more minute I might actually do it again.

I use toothpaste and my finger to scrub them clean and when I come out to the living room, Knox is glaring at me and tosses the clothes back at me.

“Put them on,” he says. I grin at him, his jaw tight from anger.

Quirking an eyebrow, I put my hands on my hips and drop the clothes to the floor.

“Oops,” I whisper. He shakes his head and his hands go to his hips.

“Dress please.”

“If you say so.” Slowly bending at the hip, I don’t lose eye contact until I’m all the way bent over. A low growl escapes his lips and I grin, knowing what this is doing to him. Slipping on the too-big shorts, I roll the waistband until I’m confident they aren’t going to fall, then glare at Knox.

“I don’t appreciate the rude tone," I tell him, crossing my arms to perk the ladies up. His demeanor isn’t changing but his will not to stare at my chest right now is slowly breaking. A grin slips over my lips and he sighs.

“Jesus Christ you’re stubborn.” He storms to the door. “I’ll be outside when you’re ready to go.”

The shirt goes on smooth and I sigh. I miss wearing Leigh’s shit. Mine isn’t near as large or comfortable as his is. This shirt is staying with me.

Outdoors, the sun scorches my eyes immediately, sending searing pain straight to my temples.

“Fuck it’s bright out here,” I mutter, walking down the sidewalk.
“Over here, Princess.” Knox is leaning against a pitch-black sports car that looks like a million dollars.

“I’m good,” I say, wincing at the sun. “Fuck me.”

“I’d love to, but right now I’m making sure you’re going to make it home in one piece.” He opens the car door and the new car smell envelopes me.

“Get in.”

Knox is the kind of guy that doesn’t like to have to take no for an answer…but I’m the kind of girl that loves to make him squirm.

“And if I don’t?”

“So help me god, Harper. Just get in the damn car.” His jaw is tight and he’s gripping the car door so hard I think he may be crushing the metal.

I sigh and roll my eyes, sliding onto the leather seat.

“Oh good lord,” I whisper, caressing the soft leather. This car is worth more than I make in two years, probably. How the hell does he own something this nice while he’s slumming it up with me in a tiny ass apartment? What the fuck is this guy’s deal?

When he opens the door, I have full plans on asking him that, but my eyes immediately go to his forearms, the tanned skin peeking out from the rolled up dress shirt sleeves, and my thighs start to tremble a little.

With a dry mouth, I make it a point to stare out the window the entire drive home. I can’t talk to him without wanting to fuck him, and I’m in no physical shape to be fucking anyone right now.

“I need to shower,” I mumble, walking through the door he’s holding open for me.

Maybe I can flick the bean a little while I’m in there and take this edge off. I’ve fucked him, yes, but that doesn’t mean I need to keep doing it.

Right?

That’s when it hits me.

The apartment.

How I forgot the shape it was in last night is beyond me, but he obviously remembers it better than I do, because after locking the door he just sighs as he watches me take in the sight before me. Our dining room table is overturned, the chairs are broken. The kitchen cabinets are open and everything in them is a mess all over the floor.

“Jesus Christ,” I mutter, looking at the shape of my home. It’s destroyed.

“Yeah,” he says quietly, not moving from the door. “The police report has been filed. It sounds like they hit a few places in the neighborhood last night, not just this one. But they got everything, that’s for sure.” He nods over to the TV stand and shakes his head. “We’ll get a new one.”

I nod silently; taking in the sight before me and cursing the neighborhood I live in. I can’t afford anything nicer…but goddammit some days I just want to leave this hell hole and never look back.

That’s when it hits me to take off for my bedroom. Running past the living room and down the hall, I ignore the mess until I swing open my bedroom door.

“No,” I whisper. “No, no, no…” My feet take me over to the box by my bedside, but my heart remains back in my small bedroom as a little girl…the day he gave me my first jewelry box

“Here, baby girl,” daddy’s voice is tired. Maybe he needs a nap. He hands me a box wrapped in pretty purple and pink tissue paper tied with a bright silver sparkly bow.

“What is it?!” I squeal. He never gets me presents like this when it’s not my birthday.